40 NEBRASKAland • JULY 2017
opportunity, I opened my camera bag
and grabbed my 300mm lens.
Shortly thereafter, I found myself
parked right next to the quail, which
was still performing its two-note call
while I stuck my camera lens out the
window wishing (not for the first time)
that I owned a slightly longer lens.
Since it was the first and only time
I've photographed a quail, I took quite
a few photos, trying to use different
compositions, but I was pretty limited
by the fact that I was stuck in a truck
and the bird was standing on a post.
Mule Deer
I got up early one morning in
the Sandhills and climbed a steep
dune to watch the sunrise. After a
big red sun lifted itself above the
horizon, I wandered around a little,
photographing yucca and other flowers
in the early morning light. Just as I
started heading back toward breakfast,
I noticed a mule deer about 50 yards
ahead of me. Since she was standing
in beautiful light, I changed lenses on
my camera in case she decided to stick
around to be photographed.
I stood still for a few minutes to
see what the deer was going to do.
Eventually, she put her head down and
started feeding, walking a few steps
between bites. Every time she put her
head down, I took a couple quiet steps
of my own, gradually closing the gap
between us to about 25 yards. The
deer seemed perfectly content to keep
eating, while monitoring my presence
with one eye. I started talking to my
new acquaintance in a low voice and
continued to approach at an angle,
rather than directly at her. Within a
few minutes, I was close enough to get
some decent photos with my 300mm
lens. I followed a parallel path to the
deer for another 10 minutes or so,
moving when she moved, and stopping
to photograph her when she paused
to look up at me. Eventually, when
she meandered over the top of a small
rise, I wished her a good morning and
continued on my way toward sausage
and pancakes.
Grasshopper Sparrow
Several biologists and I were on a site
visit in the Sandhills on a hot summer
This mule deer seemed more curious than frightened as I slowly moved toward it with my camera and photographed it. This mule deer seemed more curious than frightened as I slowly moved toward it with my camera and photographed it
